Preparation of micron-sized, monodispersed, monomer-adsorbed polymer particles utilizing the dynamic swelling method with loosely cross-linked seed particles

Influence of the water-addition rate (R _w ) (ml/h) on the monodispersity of monomer-adsorbed polymer particles prepared by utilizing the dynamic swelling method (DSM) with 1.9-μm-sized, monodispersed, loosely cross-linked polystyrene/styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer [1/(47.5–2.5), w/w] composite particles was examined theoretically and experimentally. The thermodynamic simulation under a kinetic control state indicates that, at the R _w values below 4, the cross-linked composite particles adsorb all styrenes separated from ethanol/water media. The experimental result at the R _w value of 2.66 supported it. At the R _w values above 5.32 and below 1.33, polydispersed styrene-adsorbed particles were prepared. The former depended on the formation of some pure styrene droplets not containing the composite particle. The latter depended on coalescence among the adsorbed particles by DSM. Received: 5 April 2000 Accepted: 5 October 2000